Hyderabadi NRI dies of cardiac arrest while playing cricket in Saudi Arabia

An “alarming” number of young patients in the Gulf region are suffering heart attacks and are being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, according to medical professionals, with the onset of the illness being noticed in people about 10-15 years earlier here than in other parts of the world.

Jeddah: On World Heart Day, a Hyderabadi NRI in Saudi Arabia died while playing cricket on Friday. Mohammed Atif Khan (52) who hails from Muradnagar in Hyderabad, was playing cricket at a ground in Rakha in Al Khobar, collapsed after a cardiac arrest.

During the match, Atif Khan appeared to be fine. However, he suddenly felt severe chest pain and collapsed. His fellow players rushed to his rescue, according to sources. Soon after the incident, Atif Khan was taken to a nearby polyclinic and then moved to a hospital where he died.

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The Cricketer is survived by a wife and three children, all living in Hyderabad. If he was given CPR the situation could have been different, said Dr. Abhijeet Vergees, a noted physician in Al Khobar.

Explaining about CPR, Dr. Vergees said that “When a person’s heart stops beating, every second counts. CPR provides vital chest compressions and rescue breaths that help maintain blood flow and oxygenation to the brain and other vital organs until professional medical help arrives. Rapid initiation of CPR increases the chances of survival significantly”.

An “alarming” number of young patients in the Gulf region are suffering heart attacks and are being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, according to medical professionals, with the onset of the illness being noticed in people about 10-15 years earlier here than in other parts of the world.